Former Kansas guard Agbaji holds second annual local youth basketball camp

By David Rodish Jul 18, 2026

Former Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji smiles during the Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Fifty local youngsters piled into the gym at Oak Park High School on Saturday morning for the second annual Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp, hosted by former Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji.

“We had a really good turnout,” Agbaji said. “It’s a busy weekend with AAU tournaments, but we still had a good turnout. (There were) more younger kids than the older kids, but that’s fun.”

The camp hosted local 8- to 18 year-old kids for skills training and more. The session lasted three hours and was followed by a meet-and-greet signing event with Agbaji. During the training session, prizes such as a Brooklyn Nets Agbaji jersey were available for campers to win.

“They had a lot of fun — they had a lot of energy,” Agbaji said. “They brought a lot of smiles and enjoyed the game.”

Last year’s camp was held at the MOKAN Training Facility in Overland Park, and while the facility there worked well, hosting the camp at Agbaji’s high school brought extra significance to the event.

“Doing it here was special,” Agbaji said. “I’ve always wanted to do a camp up north and give back to the community. It was a great turnout, and I couldn’t ask for a better time.”

Many of the campers were returners from last year’s camp, including one camper who made sure to wear the same Missouri shirt both times. Agbaji said consistency with these camps locally is something he’s focused on for the future of his foundation.

“Even after last year’s camp, it was so fun that everyone was raving about it and wanted to come back to this year’s,” Agbaji said. “That’s the way I want to make it. Even these kids from this camp want to come back to the one in a few weeks or next year.”

Agbaji is currently a free agent after being traded from the Toronto Raptors to the Brooklyn Nets in February. Agbaji improved his scoring and shooting once he landed in Brooklyn, but the former Big 12 Player of the Year is free to sign anywhere.

Handling free agency can be stressful for professional athletes, so for Agbaji, hosting the camp and giving back to the community was a refreshing experience.

“Obviously I’m doing basketball and working out every single day, but coming back and giving back to the game and reminding myself with the youth that there’s so much joy with the game is refreshing,” Agbaji said.

The skills camps are a part of Agbaji’s foundation, but there’s more to it than serving the youth. The foundation served food at a homeless shelter in Kansas City earlier this summer and has conducted other events. The Young Agbaji Foundation will host another basketball camp this summer and will continue to host more in future summers.

“Whether it’s youth or serving the homeless in Kansas City — just to give back to my community and show I appreciate where I come from,” Agbaji said.

The next Young Agbaji skills camp will be at MOKAN Basketball on Aug. 1, starting at 9 a.m.

Campers at the Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp compete in a free throw competition on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.

Former Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji shows of his Brooklyn Nets jersey for campers to win at the Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.

Campers at the Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp compete in a free throw competition on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.

Campers ready their shoes, shirts and jerseys to be signed by former Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji at the Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.

Former Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji signs shirts for campers at the Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.

A young camper at the at the Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp shoots the ball on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.

Campers at the Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp compete in a free throw competition on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.

Campers watch other campers ampers at the Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp compete in a free throw competition on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.

Campers at the Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp pose for a photo with former Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.

Former Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji signs shirts at the Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.

Former Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji signs shirts at the Young Agbaji Foundation Basketball Skills Camp on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.